this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2023
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Aren't certain instances on Lemmy downvote disabled? I swear I've been on certain magazines on Kbin or the Fediverse where it's disabled by default.
Hexbear.net (spun off from r/chapotraphouse, banned on Reddit in 2019 for fascist propaganda), has downvotes disabled on their entire instance, so that's one. Please note that though they claim to be "leftist," their users' primary focus is spreading right wing propaganda via strawman and red herring tactics, usually in swarms.
Your take on Hexbear is absolutely correct
It's also something I've pointed out in the past that netted me bans on other instances (not just the community but the whole instance)
My instance has down votes disabled as well and it's something that has made me want to switch instances at times. Not to mention the admin really wanting to federate with Hexbear which is absolutely not popular with the users on the instance.
Oh wow, the blahaj admin wants to federate with them? That is unfortunate and more than a little disappointing. I'm sorry to hear that, I hope they figure it out soon and decide not to federate, because they'd just be exposing their users to fascist recruitment propaganda that is specifically tailored to the LBGTQ+ community. JFC, that would be awful.
The Hexbears' support for the queer community, as I'm sure you're aware (I'm saying this to promote general awareness), is superficial at best and in reality is a major part of their recruitment machine. They operate just like extreme right wing orgs: they target a specific disenfranchised group with the claim that they hear them, support them, and will fight for their rights, but in practice they take advantage of their already-present anger by funneling it towards a specific political target...in this case, the "liberal western world." The Hexbear ethos tells them that western values are the reason why they are being oppressed, and in the process they (somewhat ironically) become radicalized instruments of hate.
It's fucked up and really sad, and it's hard to get through to people just how dangerous this group is. A common defense is that the Hexbears are harmless because they think the Hexbear trolling approach is funny and that Hexbears don't come right out and say they are pro-Russia or deny genocide is happening in the world... it can be real difficult to get people to think critically and see past the manipulation tactics. But it's there, plain as day, it is a hate group.
But I digress. People need to know that these are not innocent good people. I will continue to speak out against these fascists, and I hope you do the same.
Well put, when I first came to Lemmy I remember seeing them and being confused that their actions were at odds with their stated goals.